Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ RipTide ❯ 8 ( Chapter 8 )

Chapter 8

Adrian paced around his room. He hadn't talked to Hitomi for the rest of the evening...he just couldn't face her. He'd feel too guilty. He really did like her, a lot...but did he really want to be tied down to her?
He sat on the edge of his bed and held his forehead in his hands. This wasn't fair to her. She'd hated all men for so long and then, when she finally opened up to him, he'd treated her just like the rest of them. And she'd still have to work here every day. He didn't want her to have to deal with that type of humiliation. Hitomi was too good for that.
He got up and went to stare out the window, hoping to get some sort of idea that would make this whole thing easier. As he was staring at the moon, it suddenly hit him...why not travel to other worlds?
It was perfect! His race did it all the time. They were born to fight and to travel. Just thinking of all the things he would see and do made Adrian's blood tingle with excitement. And Hitomi wouldn't have to face him every day.
Quickly, his mind made up the plans. He would have to leave that night, but he could be packed quickly. He wouldn't have to take much stuff, but he'd need currency. And he would leave a note for his friends and family to find.

~*~
In a few minutes, Adrian was ready to leave. He swung the bag of his belongings over his shoulder, the written note in his hand. He attached it to the outside of his bedroom door, then went back inside and closed it quietly.
Looking out his window, Adrian checked the small courtyard below for any signs of life; Warfrost and Cassinian sometimes made their own private rounds at night. But everything was still and silent, the moonlight making the world look eerie. Adrian slipped out the window and lifted into the sky.
After passing over the outer walls, Adrian turned and shot one last look at his palace home. He closed his eyes and said a silent farewell to Hitomi, his mother and father, even his sister, and to his soul-father's family who would be there the next day. He would miss all of them.
Then Adrian turned back again and continued on, swiftly leaving everything and everyone behind.

~*~
The next morning, Gohan came running into the throne room where Vegeta and Vaya were looking through decrees and contracts.
"Gohan, is there a reason why you're storming in here?" Vegeta looked at him with a raised brow, placing a scroll down. Gohan panted and bent over to catch his breath, "Adrian's gone!"

~*~
A search was made immediately, all over the palace and all over any city nearby, but the prince was never found. Word never got outside of the palace that the prince was missing and the soldiers searching for him never mentioned who it was that they were looking for. Vegeta called Gohan to his attention and spoke with him privately.
"Normally, I'd have a squad of Elite go after the boy, but I've trained him too well. He'd lose them in an instant, so I'm sending you," Vegeta looked at him.
"Me?" Gohan looked at him in shock.
"Yes, you've trained alongside him and grew up with him, who else would know him better?" Vegeta folded his arms. Gohan nodded and bowed, "I'll find him, sire."

~*~
A ship was soon docked and filled with supplies and the sort, things Gohan would need to find his comrade.

~*~
Knock. Knock.
"Queen Vaya requests your presence," the female computer voice spoke. Hitomi looked up from her latest invention and walked over to the door, which slid open. Hitomi bowed, "Yes, milady?"
Vaya nodded and Hitomi rose as Vaya found a seat.
"I'm certain you're well aware that Gohan is leading a single search party to find my son..." Vaya started, but Hitomi's expression darkened as soon as she mentioned him, and it didn't go unnoticed. Vaya frowned, "I think you should go along."
Hitomi's eyes shot up, "Me?"
"Yes, you'll be able to reason with him. I don't think this is something Gohan should do alone," Vaya spoke.
"Please forgive me your highness, but why should I look for him? I'm his sister's caretaker, what would I know about looking for him?" she asked incredulously.
"I'm also aware of your relationship with my son. That's why I felt that you should go."
Hitomi was surprised at first that the queen had known, but her expression quickly turned scornful again, "What relationship? We never had one. No man is worth fussing over in my eyes. They're not worth crying over."
She took a seat on the couch, her expression stormy. Vaya's eyes rose as she realized what had happened. She got up and walked over to Hitomi, sitting beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Please, Hitomi. For me and for Vitani at least," Vaya looked in her eyes and she did likewise, but Hitomi's expression hadn't changed.
"All right, I'll go," Hitomi got up. Vaya's expression softened and she smiled with relief.
"But I hope he and anyone else who knows is aware: I'm only doing this for you. After we get him back, I'll have to resign from my job as Vitani's caretaker," Hitomi started, surprising Vaya.
"I wouldn't stand to be in the same palace as him," Hitomi said as she headed off into her room to pack.

~*~
Adrian leaned his back against the wall of his hideout inside a transport. Since he knew that his father would have soldiers searching everywhere, Adrian needed to find an alternate means of transportation to the space pods. He was inside the cargo hold of a trade junker.
It was the perfect way; the trade junkers had no predetermined destination. They just picked up on other planets' electromagnetic fields and pulled themselves in. Also, there was no way to stop or turn back a junker once it had left Vegetaseii's atmosphere.
For a fleeting moment, Adrian saw Hitomi's face, and he wondered if he was doing the right thing. Then it disappeared, and Lirion's cold words floated back to him.
Nothing would make him turn back now.

~*~
It was taking forever to find the prince and with, obviously, no results. Hitomi leaned against the wall, her arms folded and a scowl on her face as she and Gohan listened to another report from a soldier on the vid screen.
"...I'm sorry, my lord and lady. There has still been no sign of the prince," the soldier reported. Gohan nodded grimly, "Very well, carry on."
Gohan sighed and turned in his rotating chair and eyed Hitomi.
"Is there a reason why you're staring at me?"
"You haven't said anything since we started on this. Why are you so mad?"
"Do I look like I wanted to be put on this mission? I'm only doing this because the queen asked me to," Hitomi looked at him.
"Do you even know why he left?" Gohan looked at her with narrowed brows. Hitomi narrowed her brows, "No, and frankly, I could care less. I just want to find him so I can leave."
Gohan's eyes rose, "Leave? What do you mean? You're not quitting as caretaker are you?"
"Oh, and why should I stay? Because I'm obligated to caring for the little princess? Or because he's your friend?" Hitomi snapped. Gohan took the letter from his pocket and handed it to her. She snatched it from his hand and unfolded it. There was silence as her eyes scanned each word. Slowly, her expression softened into one of confusion, "What..."
"You see? He left because of you! Because he didn't want you to have to run into him every day after what happened," Gohan argued. Hitomi shook her head and pushed the paper against his chest.
"Is this where you make another speech about how we're all the same?" Gohan clutched the paper. Hitomi looked at him with a glare, "I don't know anymore! You men are so...ugh!! This is what I get..." She stormed off.
Because of me? I..I don't believe this. He could've easily found himself another girl and he did all this...for me? This is what I get. This is all my fault. If I hadn't accepted that stupid job in the first place, I'd be home right now working on robots instead of wracking my brains over some boy! Her eyes began to water again and she fought them back once more.
This is too much...I don't know what to think now..,

Suddenly, Gohan ran in excitedly. "Hitomi! You have to come with me! I know where Adrian is!"
Hitomi looked up in surprise. "What? How?"
Gohan grabbed her wrist and hauled her outside, talking excitedly the whole way. He was going so fast that Hitomi only caught a few words. "We were kids...secret spot...hidden way in...hardly used...forgot...so stupid...!"

~*~
Gohan led Hitomi through the Vegetaseii skies to the Interplanetary Trade Headquarters. They squeezed through an almost invisible gape in the fence, and made it inside to the hangar. Each trade junker loomed huge in the dimly lit area. There were about twenty of them in two rows, on either wall. When it was time for one of them to be shipped off, a hole would open in the floor below them and the ceiling would come apart. Inside the hole were the rockets for takeoff.
Gohan and Hitomi looked around, sizing up the area that they had to search. Given their previous efforts, it was pretty easy.
"You take that side, I'll take this way," Gohan motioned to Hitomi. "If one of us finds him, we'll yell. And don't worry," he added with a smirk, "I don't expect him to run."
Hitomi searched through crates, boxes and sifted through all kinds of debris when she thought she heard something. She quickly looked up. She quirked a brow and began to search in the direction of the noise she heard when she heard footsteps. At first, she thought it was Gohan, but then realized that he had walked off in the other direction. She pushed through more boxes when she spotted a dark figure walking in the opposite direction. Without warning, she ran top speed toward the figure and jumped on him, pulling off the hood with narrowed eyes.
"Adrian?"
"Hitomi?"
Hitomi blushed lightly and quickly got off of him. She turned around and cupped her mouth, "I found him!"

Adrian almost fell over. "What are you doing? Why are you here anyway?"
Hitomi only looked at him once before turning in the other direction as Gohan came running their way and tackled Adrian.
"Adrian, do you know how worried everyone was for you?! Your dad made me head of the search party!" Gohan exclaimed.
"Aw, that is so sweet," Adrian sniffed, pretending to wipe tears from his eyes. "You do realize that it was utterly pointless, though, right?"
"What are you talking about?" Gohan replied suspiciously.
Adrian sighed. "I want to leave! I want to get off of this planet, see new places, meet new people, experience new things! I want to explore like my ancestors, do what my people are meant to do! Think about it, Gohan...this is the ultimate adventure!"
"Yes, and I'm sure your parents are fine with you disappearing and leaving no trace but a note and having everyone worried half-to-death and practically ever soldier searching this planet for you!" Gohan said in one breath.
"I'm not a little kid anymore. They've got to let it go," Adrian said calmly, shrugging his shoulders. "Besides, there's nothing else left for me here."
"You're positive this is what you want to do man?" Gohan looked at him with worry. Hitomi merely folded her arms and balanced herself against the wall, watching the two with a frown.
Adrian nodded, and there was no trace of uncertainty on his face. "I'm sure."
Gohan sighed and nodded before patting his life-long friend on the shoulder, "Well I won't stop you then. I just wish you luck."
Adrian grinned. "Thanks." Then, for the first time, he noticed Hitomi. He rubbed the back of his neck. "Listen, Hitomi...I'm really sorry. I know I must seem like such a jerk to you."
Hitomi's features softened slightly, "Yeah."
She looked away, "Gohan, could you give us a few minutes?"
"Huh?" Gohan blinked before looking at the two, "Oh, okay.." He hurried off. Hitomi got up from her spot and walked up to the prince who seemed slightly nervous.
"You know I'll hate you probably for as long as I live.." Adrian winced. She sighed and muttered, "I don't know why I'm about to do this..."
She leaned in and lightly kissed him on the lips, "But for some odd reason, I forgive you. I can't stay mad at you. Now I know understand why women go through these things."
"Really?" Adrian squeaked accidentally. "You forgive me?"
"Don't make me say it again," Hitomi grumbled. "Just, don't get killed."
She turned around and started walking out.
"Hitomi, wait a sec."
Hitomi stopped and turned around, and suddenly Adrian pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply. Hitomi's eyes widened, but then she slowly closed them and felt her arms rest against his chest.
Suddenly, there was a violent tremor that shook the entire metal junker. Adrian and Hitomi were shaken apart as the metal door that Hitomi and Gohan had entered by closed with a slam and everything got dark. All they could see was each other's eyes glowing white.
"What's going on?" Hitomi cried.
Adrian's eyes disappeared; he had closed them in despair. "Oh, no..."

~*~
The trade junker sank away into the hole in the ground. Not even the frantic actions of the teenage boy outside could stop the giant metal transport. The skylight opened to reveal the blue morning sky overhead.
With a final shudder, the rockets fired and sent the trade junker hurtling into space.
"The junker just launched," Adrian said frantically, turning to Hitomi as sunlight poured into the junker, "Looks like you're coming with me."

~*~
"THEY WHAT?!" Vegeta yelled after hearing Gohan's story.
"And I don't know where they're headed because they took off in a trade junker.." Gohan mumbled under the king's rage. Vaya merely covered her face with her hand and sighed.
"How long ago was this?" Vegeta asked in exasperation.
"Um..10 minutes ago," Gohan said sadly. After a brief silence, Vegeta spoke again, "The only thing left to do now is to inform the girl's parents of her disappearance."

~*~
"THEY WHAT?!" Canta and Lea yelled at once after hearing the story from the king.
"All I can offer is my apologies for my son's behavior. If there's--"
"Oh no no, it's quite all right," Lea said with a smile. Vegeta looked at the couple with confusion, "You're not mad?"
"Oh, of course not," Lea waved it off.
"All I can say is it's about time that girl got some sense in her head and got it over with," Canta said to his wife. Vegeta blinked, "Someone mind filling me in?"
"Well, it's a little silly your majesty, but we had suggested this job to Hitomi in hopes that she'd find herself a mate in the palace: some member of the Elite perhaps. We didn't think she'd bag herself the prince!" Canta said.
"All we can say is that we're delighted and honored that your son chose our child as his bride and that we hope they take as much time as they please. The sooner they produce a grandchild for us, the better!" Lea said with a winky-eyed smile. Vegeta blinked. After the two left, he turned to a very amused Vaya. "What that was about?"

Vaya merely shrugged.